Business summary
Next Door Psychology is a Werribee based Psychological practice specializing in Counseling for those with depression and anxiety disorders, trauma related experience, psychosis, eating disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders. They also work in local school
Business personal information
Alison is the Director of Next Door Psychology based in Werribee, she also shares the role of clinical psychologist. Alison started the business by herself in her house in 2009, then expanded throughout the years and now has a clinic owned by herself with several employees and works all around and services people who are in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. They are located at 10 Bridge Street Werribee in a quiet private setting, with numerous consulting suites and free parking.
The practice consists of Clinical and General Psychologists (provisional and councilors) providing a wide degree of services from assisting those with depression and anxiety disorders, trauma related experience, psychosis, eating disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders. Next door psychology has educational & developmental psychologists who both work in schools and in the office with Children and Adolescents treating and assessing their presenting issues. Our Psychologists trained in Clinical Neuropsychology specialises in assessments for a range of issues such as Cognitive Deficits and learning problems.
Next Door Psychology
admin@nextdoorpsych.com.au
1300 795 292
10 Bridge St, Werribee
Roles of employees and qualifications and training
Director
Skills and qualifications that Alison has as a Director and Clinical Psychologist are:
Organizational skills
Communication skills
Technical Skills
First aid certification
Working with children certificate
Business certificate
Fifth and sixth year of graduate study in professional psychology
One year of a Board approved internship
Three year bachelors in advanced psychology or Four year Honours degree
Director Duties
The duties and role of the Director include:
Managing the Clinic
Employing qualified psychologists
Staff inductions
Review workers performance
Conduct risk assessments
Organise cleaning company and security company to come weekly
Ensure the safety and wellbeing of her employees
Creating a roster
Making sure all finance is in order
Placing all staff
Keeping up to date with emils
Clinical psychologist
A Clinical psychologist is the top of the psychology hierarchy in terms of difficulty and qualifications. To be a clinical psychologist you need to complete a minimum 8 years of study alone. These qualifications are:
Fifth and sixth year of graduate study in professional psychology
Needs to be registered by the PBA (Psychology Board of Australia)
Taught Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Organizational skills
Communication skills Working with children certificate
One year of a Board approved internship
Clinical psychologist Duties
A clinical psychologist can be of particular help when a condition:
Is complex or difficult to diagnose.
Involves suicidal ideas or plans.
Isn’t responding to standard treatment through your GP or another mental health professional.
As part of their work, a clinical psychologist may:
Help you to manage a long-term mental health condition.
Provide advice about lifestyle changes to help manage psychological distress.
Work with you individually, or with you and your partner, family, or carers.
Provide second opinions and advice to other mental health professionals.
Liaise with your GP to facilitate a referral to other health professionals, such as a psychiatrist, speech pathologist, or Occupational Therapist.
Psychologist
Psychologists are the main/average in the psychology world, they are the most known role and most sought out. To become a psychologist you need qualifications such as:
A Fifth and Sixth year of graduate study in professional psychology or one year of graduate study in professional psychology
One year of a Board approved internship
Organizational skills
Communication skills
Working with children certificate
Psychologist duties
Providing counseling to clients to help them make changes to their behavior
Identifying and diagnosing mental, behavioral or emotional disorders
Developing treatment plans
Conducting research through interviews and observations.
Administering psychological tests
Conduct scientific studies of behavior and brain function
Observe, interview, and survey individuals
Identify psychological, emotional, behavioral, or organizational issues and diagnose disorders.
Research and identify behavioral or emotional patterns
Provisional Psychologist
Qualifications:
A provisional psychologist is one step below a psychologist they are overseen and supervised by a fully registered psychologist, it is the step to become a psychologist, this period normally lasts 1-2 years with a few years of study
A Fifth and Sixth year of graduate study in professional psychology or one year of graduate study in professional psychology
One year of a Board approved internship
Organizational skills
Communication skills
Working with children certificate
Provisional Psychologist duties
Providing psychological therapy to clients with learning difficulties, developmental disorders or psychological and mental health disorders
Knowledge and understanding of developmental disabilities and disorders
Delivery of mental health assessments and interventions
Conduct scientific studies of behavior and brain function
Observe, interview, and survey individuals
Research and identify behavioral or emotional patterns
Counselor
Qualifications:
A counselor is an objective and trained professional that you can build a healing and trusting relationship with. They are trained to offer different types of assistance, usually talk-based styles of therapy.
Complete a Diploma of Counseling
Bachelor of Counseling or equivalent.
Organizational skills
Communication skills
Working with children certificate
Counselor duties
Provide information on vocational, relationship, social and educational difficulties and issues
Help people to identify and define their emotional issues through therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy and other talking therapies
Help people to overcome mental and emotional issues
Provide people with emotional support when setting goals and reaching other achievements
Administration
There is only one front desk/administrative person at Next Door Psychology and their qualifications and skills are:
Communication skills
Filing / paper management
Bookkeeping
Typing
Equipment handling
Customer service skills
Research skills
Computer skills
Keeping organized
Certificate four in Business Administration
Administration duties
Answering calls
Making appointments
Informing clients on need to know information
Filing information
Sending emails
Seating and getting information from clients
Greeting people who come in
Informing the staff on any changes
Paperwork
Printing Forms
Reading over Forms
Management of OHS concerns
Each employee of the director Alison at Next Door Psychology has their own responsibility to keep themselves and their patients safe in the workplace. The employees have been inducted on safety rules that have been put in place to ensure that nothing can harm the employees or patients. When the employees first arrive they are given a tour of the clinic and basic training on safety and a fire escape plan as well as prior training in the field and safety concerns from university.
In accordance with ‘The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act,) the main workplace health and safety law in Victoria. Alison completes a risk assessment when needed for an update or a change in the clinic is made. She reports back to WorkSafe.
Communication Of OHS Information
An overview of employer and employee responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. The law requires employers to eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable. To decide what is reasonably practicable, you must consider: the likelihood of the hazard or risk occurring, the harm that would result from the hazard or risk. What a person knows (or should know) about the hazard or risk, and ways to eliminate or reduce it, availability and suitability of ways to eliminate or reduce the hazard or risk, cost of eliminating or reducing the hazard or risk.
How to report an incident
When a incident occurs first you have to gage how serious the situation is, call 000 if it result is dangerous or high-risk, ensure the incident scene is not disturbed until a WorkSafe inspector arrives however, incident scenes can be disturbed if necessary to protect a person's health or safety, help someone who is injured and/or make the area safe. Report the incident in writing within 48 hours once you have completed and submitted the online incident notification form, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your records. Save a copy of the incident notification form you are required to keep a record of the form for at least five years.
OHS Roles and Responsibilities
Employer
An employer needs to provide and maintain safe plant, (machinery and equipment), safe systems of work like controlling high risk areas and providing systems to prevent falls from heights and provide suitable facilities for welfare at any workplace you manage and control. . employers also have to ensure safe use, handling, storage or transport of plant or substances and keep workplaces that they manage and control in a safe condition, free of risks to health (for example, ensure fire exits aren’t blocked, and the worksite is generally tidy). employers are also responsible of giving the necessary information, instruction, training or supervision to enable them to do their work in a way that is safe and without risks to health.
Employee
Employees have to take reasonable care of their health and safety in the workplace, they must also take reasonable care for the health and safety of others who may be affected by what you do or don't do and cooperate with their employer about any action they take to comply with the OHS Act or Regulations. For example, use equipment properly, follow safe work polices and procedure and attend training. an employee cannot intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything at the workplace to support heath, safety and welfare.
Employment opportunities
The psychology industry is currently booming, the need for psychologists, clinical psychologists, provisional psychologists and counsellors are increasing with the recent acceptance of professional help for mental and emotional struggles and diagnosis. Also because of the pandemic many people have suffered, psychologists have never been in such high demand and there are simply not enough of them in the industry currently, waiting lines to be treated could be over 9 months give or take a few months. Because of the nature of the job, the longevity of all psychologist titles is the most stable a job can be next door psychology has been in practice for 13 years. The role of a psychologist is face to face and needs the ability to understand complex emotions and situations, this job will never not be needed and cannot be substituted or replaced.
Job Longevity of each Job Title
Because of the nature of the job, the longevity of all psychologist titles is the most stable a job can be next door psychology has been in practice for 13 years. The role of a psychologist is face to face and needs the ability to understand complex emotions and situations, this job will never not be needed and cannot be substituted or replaced. The time and money that goes into being a qualified practitioner, the chances of someone changing career paths after completing the study is very unlikely.
Employee entitlements, workplace agreements/wages
Because of the contract at Next Door psychology, the entitlements are completely up to them, they run on their own schedule. Alison the director has given each employee a separate room where they can see patients and the employee is responsible for how many hours they want to work, when they work, if they want to take a break or a holiday they can. Even though they have this freedom it may seem that they would abuse this power but because of their job they would be leaving people who need them, so the therapist would have to find a replacement and in the first place are unlikely to even take unprompted holidays. Legally the employees are not allowed to talk about their pay but the price to see one at Next Door Psychology ranges from $190 - $60 per hour and their pay rate for their levels of qualifications are in the table listed below.
AWARD: MA000027 Health Professional and Support Services Award 2020
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